Unam opens case against councillor

Police in Omusati Region are investigating Okaku Constituency Councillor Gerson Hannu Kapenda after his company, Hannu Auctioneers cc, failed to pay back money that belongs to the University of Namibia (Unam).

It is understood that Unam’s Ongogo Campus gave Hannu Actioneers loose goods last year for auctioning but the councillor failed to pay over the money after the goods were sold.

According to officials, Hannu sold the loose items for about N$170 000, but Kapenda used it for last year’s regional council election campaign from which he emrged victorious.

Kapenda, who is chairperson of the Oshana Regional Council, yesterday confirmed he has not yet paid the money and he is negotiating with Unam to pay it back.

“Yes it is true, Hannu Auctioneers owes Unam money after it auctioned their (Unam’s) loose items last year, that time of the election, but I cannot tell you where the money is because I am not the financial director , I am just an executive director,” said Kapenda.

He said the time the auction took place he was busy with the election campaign therefore he could not establish where the money disappeared to.

Kapenda added that he cannot explain where the money is because his financial director has left the company and he was the person responsible for the money.

“For the reason that I am the executive director of the company I will just pay back the money. I am busy negotiating with Unam,” he said.

Kapenda – who did not have knowledge about the criminal case opened against him by Unam – insisted that he is waiting for Unam to come back to him on the matter.

Unam opened a criminal case Cr 13/5/16 against the councillor’s company that is now under investigation.

Omusati Regional Crime Coordinator Deputy Commissioner Bonifatius Kanyetu confirmed the case, saying that it was only forwarded to the police on Friday last week.

He said that investigators are busy with the case and once the findings are finalised they will be forwarded to the office of the prosecutor general for a decision.

New Era contacted Unam spokesperson John Haufiku who confirmed that Unam opened a case against the said company, but he could not comment further because he did not have more details on the matter.